Ex-Pakistan Navy Ship 'Tariq' returns to UK
September 25, 2023
LONDON: Ex-Pakistan Navy Ship (PNS) Tariq has returned to the United Kingdom after 30 years of service for the Pakistan Navy for conversion into a floating museum.
The Transfer Agreement Signing Ceremony for the ex-Pakistan Navy Ship "Tariq" to Falls of Clyde International (FOCI), UK, took place at the Pakistan High Commission in London, attended by dignitaries from both countries.
This ship, formerly decommissioned by the Pakistan Navy on August 4, 2023, has been donated by the Government of Pakistan to the FOCI for conversion into a floating museum.
It will be displayed at the Clyde Maritime Heritage Center in Glasgow, symbolising the common naval heritage shared by the Royal Navy and the Pakistan Navy.
The ceremony was witnessed by Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi as the chief guest and Admiral Lord Alan West as the guest of honour.
Besides, the ceremony was attended by FOCI Director David O’Neill, veterans from the Royal Navy, and representatives of the Pakistani community in the UK.
During his address to the audience, the CNS expressed confidence that the donation of Tariq to FOCI would further strengthen the bonds of friendship between the UK and Pakistan, with the ship continuing to symbolise the shared maritime history of our respective navies in the years ahead.
Speaking on the occasion, Admiral Lord Alan West said: “The close relationship between the navies and nations of Pakistan and the UK are clearly shown by this historic agreement focused on one ship that fought and represented each country over many years.”
The history of ex-PNS TARIQ is noteworthy, having served in the Royal Navy as HMS AMBUSCADE for 18 years, including during the Falklands War, before being integrated into the Pakistan Navy as PNS TARIQ in 1993.
Over the course of more than three decades in the Pakistan Navy, the ship earned a reputation for its versatility, agility, and readiness in combat. Notably, it played a crucial role in a search and rescue mission during the 2005 Indian Ocean Tsunami in the Maldives, saving the lives of 377 tourists from various nationalities.
